Key findings

  • Critics argue that the current approach treats symptoms rather than causes. In interviews with more than two dozen practitioners, a recurrin...
  • History offers some guidance, though not much comfort. Previous episodes of this kind were resolved only after a combination of sustained ex...
  • The economic stakes are considerable. Conservative estimates suggest that disruption on this scale could shave between 0.3 and 0.7 percentag...
  • Technology is both part of the problem and part of the solution. The same digital tools that enable faster coordination also create new vuln...

Summary

Not everyone shares this assessment. Some analysts contend that the risks have been overstated and that markets have already priced in most of the downside. The evidence for this more optimistic view is real, but it rests on assumptions about stability that recent events have repeatedly challenged.